Street view in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Valery Sharifulin TASS | Getty Images
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Thursday that Ukrainian citizens will continue to have visa-free entry into the country, two days after it was announced that the policy was suspended.
The UAE also offers Ukrainians who arrived before March 3, 2022, the opportunity to stay in the country for up to a year without being subject to fines. Those arriving after March 3 will have visa-free access for 30 days, as was the policy before.
The news comes as Russian bombings across Ukraine intensify and the number of people fleeing Ukraine as refugees exceeds 1 million, according to the United Nations.
“Regarding the reports on the issuance of preliminary visas to Ukrainian citizens to enter the UAE,” the ministry said in a statement, “Ukrainian citizens continue to meet the conditions for issuing visas on arrival in the UAE.”
It added: “The UAE also provides critical services to Ukrainian citizens in the UAE who need assistance, in coordination with the Ukrainian Embassy in the UAE.”
On Tuesday, March 1, a post at the Ukrainian embassy on the UAE’s Facebook page said the UAE was temporarily suspending the memorandum of understanding between the two countries, which have established mutual visa waiver.
“As of today, citizens of Ukraine – holders of passports of Ukrainian citizens to go abroad must obtain an appropriate visa to visit the UAE,” the statement said. The Ukrainian embassy confirmed the policy change in a telephone conversation with CNBC, adding that it did not know the reason for the decision. The news was met with widespread anger and criticism among Ukrainians and on social media.
Previously, Ukrainian citizens could enter the UAE and stay for 30 days without having to apply for a visa in advance. This policy and the mutual abolition of visa requirements between the two countries have been restored.
The Ukrainian embassy in the UAE wrote on its Facebook page on Thursday: “After receiving the official note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs … on the suspension of the visa-free regime for Ukrainian citizens,” the embassy “is actively working.” with the Emirates … to overturn that decision. “
It added that Ukrainians had the opportunity to board flights to the UAE without visas.
The UAE initially abstained from a UN-led vote by the United States to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24. But he changed positions in a new General Assembly vote Wednesday, abandoning neutrality to vote with 140 other nations in favor of a resolution calling on Russia to halt its invasion of Ukraine and withdraw all troops.
The UAE Foreign Ministry also announced on Wednesday that it would send 18 million dirhams ($ 4.9 million) in humanitarian aid to Ukraine. The UAE’s tourism administration, Ras al-Khaimah, said the same day that Ukrainian tourists there, who are now stranded outside their home country, could stay in their hotels for free.
About 15,000 Ukrainians live in the UAE and about 250,000 visit the country as tourists each year, according to the Ukrainian government.